Teens, employers disagree on work readiness

Nearly 90 percent of the nation's teens believe they are either adequately or very well prepared to enter the work force, according to an annual poll conducted by Colorado Springs-based JA Worldwide's (Junior Achievement).
The group's 8th annual "Kids and Careers" Interprise Poll, sponsored by Verizon Communications Inc., found more than one-third of the nearly 1,500 students surveyed believe they are "very well prepared"and have the necessary skills to compete in today's work force, while more than half believe they are "adequately prepared." The survey was conducted online in October and November with students ages 13-19 from 125 JA offices nationwide.

Employers had a different view -- 42.4 percent of employers surveyed last year rated new work force entrants with high-school diplomas as "dificient" in their overall preparation for entry-level jobs they typically fill. The sruvey of 400 U.S. employees was conducted by The Conference Board, Partnership for 21st Century Skills, Corporate Voices for Working Familes and the Society for Human Resource Management.

For complete results, go to http://www.ja.org/files/polls/kids_careers_2007.pdf.